Under the Same Roof

Packing my Memories (prologue 2)

It's a Sunday morning. Move out day.

I lay on my bed in a starlike position staring at my pop-corned ceiling for what may be the last time, thinking about the new life I'm about to step into. Sitting up straight from my bed, I glance around my childhood bedroom. Admiring my now naked room filled with boxes and bags all packed, empty walls, an almost empty desk, and half empty bookcase.

Laying beside my bed wide open on the ground is my last bag to be packed, and a box labeled 'Attic'. I stand up lazily not wanting to move from my cold bed, considering the scorching heat beaming through my windows. I ease closer to the brown box and begin searching through it, for the last time.

Each item Eloise touches, it brings back memories from way back. She picks up the stuffed animal she received on her first ever trip to the beach, admires it, and carefully places it in her bag. She brushes around the interior of the box and finds the notes she would pass in class with her best friend Ceilia during history class.

She smiles at the thought of remembering those memorable times which makes her realize how much she's grown up, and what she'll miss. But these don't just bring her moments of happiness, they bring her doubt. She doesn't feel ready to leave everything she knows.

Her hometown, her family, her friends. She doesn't think she's able to thrive on her own yet.

Eloise remains on the ground drifting off with a soft smile, reminiscing, when she's interrupted by a hammering pounding on her door.

"Who is i-" she tries to say, but is then interrupted by her younger brother Enzo. Enzo, her 17 year old brother, taller than her now, scrawny, sullen look, stands in her doorway with his arms crossed.

He rolls his eyes and steps into her room. "Seriously? You're still packing?" He snorts. "Everyone wants to know when you'll be ready, but by the time you're done, it'll be time for graduation"

Eloise laughs. "Relax idiot, i'll be done in a moment, I'm just sorting through old memories."

"Old memories my ass." Enzo steps closer, towering over Eloise's suitcase, and picks up her stuffed animal. He looks at it then looks back at his older sister.

"You're really taking this thing? What, is 18 the new 5?" He joked.

"Is there an issue?" Eloise responds with a stern look on her face.

"Nope.. not at all.." Enzo then begins laughing which catches Eloise's eye. She stares at him like he's been possessed by chucky. "I just got reminded of you dressing thing up in glasses to make her study with you. You used to be a creep."

"It's not that funny. But i plead guilty. Lets not remind me of ALL my embarrassing moments right now. I'll miss that though. Every dumb thing we did as kids, and laughing at it again while we get older.

Enzo takes in a huge sigh, then slowly releases it. "Yeah i guess.. It'll kinda be weird not having you here to bug me anymore, but hey! I get more space to make a gaming room" He laughs.

"Don't touch my shit, Enzo." I snapped.
How ignorant can this fool be?

Eloise just chuckles and continues the rest of her packing while Enzo leaves the room not wanting to spend another second with his sister, mumbling and humming his favorite song, per usual, and leaves her door wide open. She hated when he did that, he always did it to piss her off.

Who would've thought she'd actually miss that snotty kid? He always acts like she's a nuisance just taking up space, but deep down.. she knows he cares. He's spent all day lingering around her door, pretending to be annoying she's still here. In reality, Eloise leaving is taking a toll on the both of them.

Eloise realizes just from small moments, how much she's gonna miss this place. She glances around her room, taking in every corner, and every detail. It's funny, she thinks to herself.

I've spent years dreaming of finally getting out of here and living my life the way I've always dreamt about. Counting down to college. Towards freedom. But now that it's time to go, not one bit do I feel ready at the slightest. Eloise sighs, zips up the last of her stuff, and drags it over to the mountain of bags and boxes hoarding the front of her room that'll be moved out later in the day.

She turns around and walks slowly around her room. Taking it in for one last time. She closes her eyes, breathing in the familiar scent of her own room. The paperbacks and the faint smell of vanilla from the candles she always lit when she studied.

She's not sure when— or if— she'll come back to stay.

She lets her eyes wander of the familiar details. The faded lavender walls, the bookshelf filled with novels, and trophies all from different years, with all different stories.

Her gaze shifts to her old corkboard, crowded with photos, postcards, and ticket stubs from school events and family trips. She runs her fingers around the cold edges of the board, noting the places where pins have left tiny holes in the wall behind.

Lastly, Eloise walks over to herbed, smoothing out the sewn quilted blanket her grandmother had made for her as a child. Maybe she could pass it on to her younger sister, Evaine. It's a little worn with the colors faded from various years of washing, but the patterns and memories it holds are still distinct — floral patchwork, bright enough to make another young girl happy.

She walks over to the window, and traces her hands around the edges of the window. Looking out, she observes the neighborhood she was raised in. The familiar trees, and the familiar sidewalks she's raced, biked, and ran over millions of times with her brother, and childhood best friends.

Atlas. The final look of her childhood room has come to an end. Eloise takes a heavy breath in, and exhales. She moves over to the doorway of her bedroom, grabs only the bags she can fit in her car, leaving the bigger ones for her dad and brother to later bring, hand lingering on the doorframe, and finally whispers a soft goodbye to her room.

She pulls the door shut with a gentle click, sealing in many years of childhood dreams. She walks down the hallway, the weight of the moment settles on her. She's leaving more than just her childhood bedroom—she's leaving a piece of herself stepping into the unknown ready to find out who she'll become.

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thanks for reading the second prologue of my story! I hope you enjoyed it, and feel free to leave any feedback!